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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24818500">Evening Guest</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Constantine_You_Owe_Me/pseuds/Constantine_You_Owe_Me'>Constantine_You_Owe_Me</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Hobbit - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Cuddles, Established Relationship, Fluff, Laughter, Love, M/M, Winter Time</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 02:55:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,170</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24818500</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Constantine_You_Owe_Me/pseuds/Constantine_You_Owe_Me</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Being lonely in the midst of winter really isn't Bard's cup of tea but there isn't much he can do about it. Thranduil, however, is the elegant elven equivalent of the Kool-Aid man and no amount of snow will stop him from having what he wants. </p>
<p>A oneshot with fluff!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Bard the Bowman/Thranduil</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>63</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Evening Guest</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/writing_shorts_but_failing/gifts">writing_shorts_but_failing</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is a birthday gift for a very supportive friend over on my tumblr.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u"> Evening Guest </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>A fire crackled happily in the hearth of Bard’s study chasing away the winter chill that had set into the stones of the newly finished castle of Dale.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His mind not on the paperwork that lay before him on his desk, Bard watched out of the window as a new flurry of flakes began to drift down from a uniform grey sky high above.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The world was a soft bed of white for as far as the eye could see and though the flames of the fire spread a comforting warmth he could not help but feel cold and alone at that moment. The children had travelled off to visit relatives and to enjoy warmer climes for a few weeks, he had told himself it was good for their health but he missed them dearly and having them so far away from him did cause him to fret more than usual over their safety.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A small distraction would have been enough, a barking dog or the rattling of the windows. Just something Bard would have to get up and inspect for a little bit to get him away from his desk.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Luck was on his side when there was a knock on the door rousing him from his dreary thoughts.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Checking the clock he was surprised to find that the hour was very late. Much later than he had assumed. How long had he been staring out of that window?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Figuring it was likely one of the house staff with a question Bard was glad for the interruption and cheerfully called for them to enter all the while setting down his pen.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>What or who had entered, Bard did not know. A long pale blue cloak covered the majority of their body and large fur-trimmed hood obscured the face of his uninvited guest as they pushed the door open and stepped inside. In his heart, he dearly wished for it to be one particular person… well, one particular elf but the weather had been too harsh for travel and so they could only speak through letters carried on a raven thoughtfully loaned from the Dwarves under the mountain.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The hour is late, meleth, should you not be sleeping?” Wondrous Gods above! The familiar voice was a balm to soothe his aching soul and Bard was out of his seat and across the room in seconds.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Thranduil threw his hood back to reveal an amused smile, his perfect hair slightly touselled from the wet weather and said hood but Bard had never seen a sight more beautiful at the moment.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I could not stay away and I knew that if I told you I was travelling to you that your mind would take you down dangerous paths worrying for my safety the way you do our children.” It was true and as much as Bard wished to be upset with Thranduil for failing to tell him of his visit he couldn’t summon anything but joy at having him there.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I can forgive you without a seconds hesitation for this one,” Bard said, all the while helping his husband out of his cloak and hanging it up to dry near the fire. “You feel cold to the touch, are you alright?” It was not the first time Thranduil had been cold but it was unusual so when Thranduil gave a careful nod Bard drew him closer to the fire before vanishing off.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>If his husband was cold from the snow he would absolutely have to fix it. Armed with blankets and cushions from one of the many spare rooms Bard returned and effectively created a nest by the fire for the two of them to sit.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“This is entirely more romantic than I am sure it was supposed to be, meleth, but it is appreciated all the same.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Bard felt Thranduil’s words vibrate through him as the elf spoke while leaning against his chest. The loneliness that had settled inside began to melt away and the cold of the world outside seemed to matter less and less the longer he held Thranduil close to him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Sometimes a man has to outdo himself when his husband makes a surprise visit to him in the middle of the night while a snowstorm rages.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There was a quiet chuckle from the elf.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Hmm, is it not lucky that I arrived when I did, I have found you working through a time when most mortal men would be sleeping, am I to stay here to ensure you are resting?” The feigned disapproving tone was definitely not all that feigned and Bard was pleased the flush blooming over his face was missed.  </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Well, if you think staying here for a few days would help, who am I to refuse your wise counsel?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Meleth, in this instance I believe it would be more a job for a nanny.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Nanny Thran, but instead of making sure I sleep you just get drunk on wine that I know you’ve brought with you.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A long silence followed. Bard knew Thranduil was likely tired from the long trip and trying to come up with something to counter the truth Bard had spoken.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Nothing came from the elf for several moments.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Then a long and affected sigh.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Perhaps…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>They shared a laugh before Thranduil suggested that the hour was late that it was closer to the morning than anything else and that Bard might as well try to finish his paperwork. But Thranduil made no move to let him up from the spot in front of the fire.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“There is always tomorrow, or the day after, or the day after that for such work. How can I concentrate when I have the most interesting of company here lying on me like moss does a rock?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Thranduil's response to Bard was just a contented noise as he stretched his arms upward. The many rings he wore catching the light from the fire giving his hands the appearance of marble caught in gold. Those hands moved and reached out to Bard’s face holding them there for a long moment until Thranduil tilted his head back so they were almost eye to eye though rather awkwardly.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“If I was unable to distract you such an appalling guest I would be.” They spend a moment just looking at one another before Thranduil returned to his more comfortable position from earlier.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Let’s lie here for a moment longer, how often do we get to spend time together like this?” Thranduil’s words came out quiet and Bard strained to hear them but he is well aware that his husband was falling asleep.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>How long had he been awake and how arduous had the travel been that his husband needed to genuinely sleep?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Not a single part of him could find a good reason for them to move elsewhere and so with his back against his desk, he closed his eyes concentrating on the sound of Thranduil’s breathing until he drifted off into a dreamless and restful sleep.</p>
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